


Sherlock and Laura (ficlets)

by suddenlyatiger



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Drabbles, F/M, Friendship, Grandchildren, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Not In Chronological Order, Parentlock, Season/Series 03 Compliant, Teenlock, heavy focus on original characters, very close friendships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-19
Updated: 2015-02-24
Packaged: 2018-02-26 06:21:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2641361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suddenlyatiger/pseuds/suddenlyatiger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Short stories/scenes taking place in an alternate universe of Sherlock where Sherlock made his first friend at the age of 17. </p><p>Sherlock Holmes and Laura Cochran were two very lonely people when they met. They quickly latched onto each other, taking Sherlock's life in a direction he never expected it to go.</p><p>(tags and characters will be added as they are needed)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> All these short stories take place in an alternate universe that is basically Sherlock, only Sherlock himself has a completely different back story. These stories heavily feature multiple original characters, so if that's not your thing you might wanna give this a pass.
> 
> I'm not posting the stories in any particular chronological order (because I just write them as they come to me) so some things and relationships probably won't make much sense at first.
> 
> All that's really important to know is that Laura is a girl who fell pregnant as a teenager by Sherlock's cousin and, after her parents kicked her out, was basically taken in by Sherlock's parents (no real reason specified, it's just something I imagined once and then ran with it), and became very close to Sherlock himself. The Sherlock in these scenes is based on my headcanon of him, which is that he was very lonely as a child/teen and struggled with depression for most of his life, so he was quick to attach himself to Laura when they end up spending a lot of time together. Even though he later adopts Laura's son and they live together as a sort of family in their own flat (really owned by Sherlock's parents) later on, they never become romantically involved. Laura eventually marries a man named Oliver, who also becomes close friends with Sherlock.
> 
> (When I first thought up this universe my headcanon is that Sherlock suffered a life-long struggle with depression and after his return from the hiatus he has some form of PTSD. His son Gavin went from fairly low-functioning autistic to higher functioning as he aged and has a small family of his own. I am not an expert in depression, PTSD, or autism and the way I portray it in my writing probably isn't totally accurate, so if I offend anyone or get anything completely wrong please don't hesitate to tell me how I messed up and I'll try to fix it.)
> 
> (This series is also Season 3 compliant.)
> 
> (Good christ that's a long note.)

Laura’s head whips around so fast that Sherlock is surprised she doesn’t crack her neck. There’s a horrified expression plastered to her face and it’s aimed straight at Sherlock.

Sherlock winces. He had forgotten about this reaction, so long had it been since he last caused it. One careless mention of wanting to die, and not even a serious mention, and he can tell that Laura wants to reach for her mobile to call in for extra help.

The crime scene continues on around them, the officers ignoring Laura; her novelty having worn off by now. No one else notices the look on her face. No one else had even noticed Sherlock’s comment, or they hadn’t cared enough to react to it.

Sherlock walks over to stand beside Laura, as close as he will allow himself to come to hugging her at a crime scene. It isn’t far from his mind that these people no longer like him, if they even had before.

“Sorry,” he murmurs, just loud enough for her to hear.

“I know, babe,” Laura says.

“You have to admit that it’s a bit of an overreaction at this point,” Sherlock says.

“Is it really though?” Laura arches an eyebrow at Sherlock, and he knows exactly what she’s talking about. He looks down at his shoes, partly in shame. He doesn’t like causing the people he’s closest to undue pain.

“I’m doing better now.” He says that, though Sherlock isn’t really sure who it is he’s trying to convince.

“I’m never going to forget it, you know,” Laura says. “Finding you.” Sherlock’s mouth tightens into a thin line. He has many regrets in his past, some are bigger deals than the others.

“I promised you I wouldn’t do it again for real,” Sherlock says. “I promised all of you.” Laura shakes her head gently, as if trying to dislodge a persistent memory. She blinks up at Sherlock and her eyes are slightly wet.

“I know,” she says. “You’ve been doing well lately.” Sherlock scoffs at that. A passing forensic tech glances at the pair as he passes but he continues on his way without saying anything. Sherlock waits until he’s completely out of earshot.

“You and Oliver have practically become my full-time nannies,” he says humourlessly. “I wouldn’t call that ‘doing well’.”

“You called us though,” Laura points out. “You recognized that you needed help and you called us for it. It means a lot when you consider the fact that I’ve stopped being scared of going to the flat and expecting to, y’know, find you.” Even after all these years she can still barely put it into words. She’s never described the scene to Sherlock the times he’s asked (and he only asked once after each time, for clarity’s sake). It had been one of the nurses from the first time around who had first referred to it as ‘finding him’. Laura had claimed the term as her own and wouldn’t call it anything else.

“I don’t want you to have to find me again,” Sherlock says. “I remember what you told me, and I want that too… I might just need a little help to get there sometimes.”

“All I ask is that you let me help when you need me to,” Laura says. Her eyes are becoming obviously teary now. Sherlock looks away, partly from guilt, and scans over the crime scene. Sally Donovan is looking over at him curiously. Sherlock meets her gaze briefly.

“Are you finished over there, Freak?” she calls over. “This is a crime scene, not a playdate. Either you and your… friend… help out here or you both go home.” Laura frowns deeply and levels a glare at Sally, who ignores her.

“We’re nearly done here,” Sherlock tells Laura. “Try not to punch her.”

“I’ll think about it,” Laura mutters. “Repeatedly.” Sherlock chuckles under his breath as he leads the way back to Sally and the body.  
\--


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Did I mention grandchildren? There's grandchildren.

Laura lets herself into 221B Baker Street to the sight of Sherlock passed out sprawled across the sofa. The toddler in her arms giggles at the sight.

“S’not a bed,” he says.

“It isn’t, is it?” Laura asks. “Grandpa’s being very silly today.”

“Yes,” William says. Laura walks to the couch and plonks William down on Sherlock’s abdomen. Sherlock snaps awake at the sudden unexpected weight and expels a loud ‘woosh’ sound. William giggles again. Sherlock’s gaze focuses on him before turning up to look at Laura.

“You are an awful person,” he tells her.

“I know,” Laura says brightly. Sherlock grumbles good-naturedly and rolls his eyes. He props himself up on his elbows and William slides a little down his torso.

“What have I done now?” Sherlock asks.

“Nothing, surprisingly,” Laura answers. “Just need you to watch William for a bit.”

“Called back in to work. Oliver did say that a day off in the middle of the week was too good to be true,” Sherlock says.

“Sometimes I hate it when he’s right,” Laura says. She crosses her arms over her chest and frowns out the window. “At least I got some extra sleep this morning. How was your case, by the way?”

“No one tried to punch me in the face and the killer was apprehended without me getting shot at,” Sherlock says. “Though Lestrade did shout at me a bit for making a witness cry.” Laura turns her frown on Sherlock.

“You really need to stop doing that,” she says.

“Yes, yes,” Sherlock says, flapping a hand at her. “I might have been less rude to the woman on the whole if she hadn’t been abusing her elderly, disabled aunt.”

“Never mind then. Carry on doing that. So can William stay with you until Gavin and Ben get off work?”

“Of course,” Sherlock says. 

“Thanks. I need to go now or I’ll be late,” Laura says. She leans down to William and drops a kiss to the top of his head. “See you later, Sweetheart. You be good for Grandpa.” She then leans over to drop a kiss to Sherlock’s forehead. “You behave,” she tells him. Sherlock rolls his eyes at her and waves her away. Laura chuckles at him and leaves the flat. Sherlock is left alone with William.

“Well then, what shall we do today then, hmm?” he asks. William grins at him.

“Snack!” he declares. Sherlock nods at him.

“Good plan,” he says, mock-seriously. “Let us investigate the kitchen.”  
\--


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Really early in the timeline.

Sherlock slowly inches away from Laura, only stopping when he feels the wall at his back.

“I’m still not totally sure about this,” he declares. Laura, sitting up in the hospital bed, rolls her eyes and motions impatiently for Sherlock to return to the chair at the bedside.

“Seriously, Sherlock,” she says. “You have to hold him sometime.”

“I will,” Sherlock insists. “Why not just wait until he’s a bit… bigger. And less breakable.”

“You won’t break him just from holding him,” Laura says. “I haven’t yet, and I’m probably just as nervous as you.”

“I’m not nervous!” Sherlock protests.

“Yes you are,” Laura says. “Now come over here and sit down. If I have to get up out of this bed to go get you, you’ll regret it.” Sherlock narrows his eyes at Laura, and he knows her well enough by now to know that’s she’s completely serious. He quietly makes his way over to the bedside chair and sits down in it. Laura nods approvingly. “That’s better,” she says.

“Hrm,” Sherlock grumbles. He turns his gaze to the sleeping baby in the glass bassinet and he eyes him warily. 

“Well, pick him up then,” Laura prompts. Sherlock turns to look at her.

“What, just like that?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Laura says. “I’ve already done it a few times. It’s really not as hard as you think. Just put your hands in the right places.” Sherlock glances quickly at Laura before returning his gaze to the baby. After a few moments of silence, he rises from the chair and slides closer to the bassinet. He looks down at the baby, who is still asleep, and tries to figure out where the ‘right places’ to put his hands are. 

“Support his head and back,” Laura says. Sherlock lowers his hands down into the bassinet, but stops just before they touch the baby.

“What if I wake him up?” he asks.

“You’ll be fine,” Laura says. “If he wakes up, he wakes up. Just cuddle him.”

“Right,” Sherlock says uncertainly. Laura makes a ‘go on’ gesture but Sherlock isn’t even looking at her. He leans down over the bassinet and slowly maneuvers his hands to wedge them under the baby. One hand cups the baby’s head and neck, and the other splays across the baby’s lower half. 

“He’s smaller than I thought,” he breathes. 

“He is,” Laura agrees.

“No but… He could probably fit right in the palms of my hands.”

“I think that’s more your hands being huge than him being small.” Sherlock firms his hands under the baby and slowly starts to lift him from the bassinet. The baby suddenly whimpers and gives a small wriggle. Sherlock instantly freezes, the baby only half way to his chest.

“He moved,” he says.

“Yeah, he does that,” Laura says. “Cuddle, remember?” Sherlock nods jerkily and continues to pull the baby towards him as slowly as he can. He finally gets the baby settled to his chest and then starts to lower himself into his chair. Once he’s settled, and has adjusted the baby’s position in his arms, he looks up at Laura.

“See?” Laura asks. “Not so bad, is it?” Sherlock nods and directs his gaze down to the baby, who is still asleep and cuddled against Sherlock’s chest.   
\--


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock is a child, and Laura enables him

Sherlock tries to draw breath through his stuffy nose but can’t quiet manage it. The result is a muted sound that sounds more like a snore. He starts suddenly as a hand with a tissue clamps over his nose.

“Blow.” Sherlock follows the command before he can really process it and ends up getting his nose cleared and wiped as if he were a child and not a full grown man. He glares tiredly up at Laura as she wipes his nose for a final time before tossing out the tissue and heading to the kitchen to wash her hands.

“Don’t bother making faces at me,” Laura says. “If you won’t blow your nose yourself then someone else will have to make you.”

“I’m not a child,” Sherlock grumbles sulkily. 

“And yet,” Laura says, waving towards the garbage can where she tossed the used tissue. Sherlock grumps to himself and slouches down further in his blanket nest on the sofa. 

William ignores the both of them and doesn’t look away from the TV.  
\--


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura's husband Oliver is also good friends with Sherlock

Lestrade is, understandably, shocked and confused when Sherlock shows up to a crime scene with an unfamiliar red-headed man in tow. The two of them seem to be having a very animated conversation as they exit the taxi. Sherlock looks towards the crime scene and says something to the red-haired man, who then throws his head back and laughs loud enough that Lestrade, who is standing clear across the road and several feet away on top of that, can hear him clearly. Sherlock’s only reaction is to smirk.

Lestrade gives Sherlock a quick once-over. He hadn’t been looking too good the last time he saw him, over a month ago, really he still doesn’t look too good now. The last time Lestrade had seen Sherlock had been in the sitting room at 221B. Sherlock had been sprawled listlessly over the sofa with paler than normal (for him) skin and dark bags under his eyes. His eyes had shone bright with things that made Lestrade uneasy, and he had been thinner than Lestrade had seen him in a long time.

Today Sherlock seems to be in better health. His pallor has returned closer to a healthier sort of pale, and from what Lestrade can see he’s filling out his clothes better (though it’s hard to tell when he’s wearing his famous Belstaff coat). 

Sherlock and his guest (friend?) start to cross the road as the taxi drives off. Sherlock’s gaze roams over the crime scene before settling on Lestrade where he’s standing by the crime scene tape. Sherlock nods in Lestrade’s direction, but it’s not a greeting, he’s only pointing the man out to the red-haired man.

“Sherlock,” Lestrade says when the two men reach the tape. “You can’t just bring strange people onto the crime scenes with you.” He had planned to start with a greeting, but the presence of this strange man is throwing him off. Sherlock doesn’t say anything to that, merely turning his head to look at the man beside him.

“I’m fine waiting out here,” the man says. “Just don’t faff off where I can’t get to you.”

“As if I do that,” Sherlock mutters as he ducks under the crime scene tape.

“Ha!” is the man’s response. Sherlock just huffs and starts investigating the crime scene. Lestrade watches him for a minute or so before he turns to the red-haired man.

“I hope he didn’t promise you an up-close look at a corpse,” Lestrade says, only slightly joking.

“Nah,” the man says. “I’m not particularly fussed about being on the scene or not. I’m just here with Sherlock. I’m Oliver Sands, by the way.”

“Greg Lestrade,” Lestrade says. He gives Oliver’s hand a quick shake. There’s silence between them for a few beats while they watch Sherlock poke and prod at the body. “So, are you John Watson’s replacement now?”

“God, no,” Oliver answers. He doesn’t offer anything more and eventually Lestrade moves closer to Sherlock to see if the detective has any answers for him. He does, it turns out.   
Oliver Sands is left alone by the crime scene tape until Sally Donovan sidles up to him. This distracts Sherlock in the middle of a deduction rant to Lestrade, stopping him short for only a moment. Lestrade just barely notices. He keeps half an eye on Sally and sees her talking to Oliver, but Oliver isn’t talking back. His only reaction to her seems to be to purse his lips into a thinner and thinner line until Sally finally gets the hint and falls silent.

Sherlock rushes through the rest of his deductions and hurries (though only obvious to people who know Sherlock well, like Lestrade) over to where Oliver and Sally are standing.

“Hey, Freak,” Sally greets as Sherlock approaches. “Your new boyfriend doesn’t seem like much of a crime buff. Can’t see this ending well.” Sherlock and Oliver exchange a look. Lestrade arches an eyebrow.

“Well, the sex more than makes up for it,” Oliver says. Sherlock grins a little before he has a chance to stop it, and Sally’s eyes open wide in surprise. Lestrade actually falters in his steps as he walks over. Oliver just smiles at all of them.   
\--


End file.
